Sew God's Grace

My friend Michelle gave me this recipe several years ago.  I forgot about it until I found it in a bin in my kitchen recently.  I decided I needed to get it on my blog so that I wouldn't lose it again.  My second daughter, Anna, is a big fan of oatmeal raisin cookies, so we made them today.  Here's the recipe. Oatmeal Raisin Spice Cookies 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups old fashioned oats 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt (I omit) 1 cup butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup raisins Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients--flour through salt.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.  Gradually mix in flour.  Then stir in the raisins. Bake on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet for ...

I have made a lot of different chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years, but these are by far my family's favorite!  I have made them so many times that I have the recipe memorized.  Recently, we were in Colorado at my husband's parents' vacation home, and of course we had the need for some homemade cookies.  They looked so pretty on the counter that I thought I'd better get a picture so that I could share the recipe here. Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, slightly softened  (see note) 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 small box instant vanilla pudding (3.4 ounce size) 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/4 cups flour (see note) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional 2 cups chocolate chips Cream butter, sugars, and pudding mix for 2-3 minutes in electric mixer.  Meanwhile, mix flour, baking soda, and salt if using.  Crack eggs into a separate container and add vanilla.  Add to butter mixt...

Do any of you remember the cartoon Fat Albert?  "Hey, Hey, Hey. . It's Faaat Albert!"  Probably not too politically correct today.  Anyway, I don't remember much about the cartoon show, but I do remember watching the Halloween special for Fat Albert and eating chocolate peanut butter chip cookies that my mom had made.  I started thinking about that when I was making these cookies.  It's funny how our memories can be tied into food, isn't it? I am still working on fall-themed cookies for the baby shower that I am helping with for this weekend.  I thought these would be a neat addition, and I was really happy with how they turned out.  My littlest, Grant, obviously thought they looked tasty, because he started asking for one as soon as they came out of the oven! Here's the recipe (adapted from  this recipe ): Candy Corn M&M Cookies (Yield:  approximately 20-24 cookies) 1 16.5 ounce box chocolate cake mix  (I used Duncan ...

I was planning to make some cookies for a fall-themed baby shower this weekend, so when I saw some Candy Apple Flavored M&M's, I knew I wanted to try them out in a cookie. Here's the recipe (adapted from this recipe ): Candy Apple M&M Cookies (Yield:  approximately 20-24 cookies) 1 16.5 ounce box yellow cake mix 2 eggs 5 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup butterscotch chips 1 bag Candy Apple M&M's Beat cake mix, eggs, and butter until blended.  Add butterscotch chips and M&M's.  Refrigerate overnight.  Meanwhile, place remaining M&M's in freezer if you are going to do the optional step below.  Drop by two tablespoon-sized balls on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.  Let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Optional:  After the cookies have been baking for 8 minutes, remove from oven and press 2-3 M&M's on top.  This is st...

Wow!  It has been a while since I last posted anything.  I have lots of pictures taken, but I haven't taken the time to sit down and get anything written out.  Update:  I said that I was going to try a mixed berry filling also.  I made it the other day, and the kids gave it rave reviews also.  Check out the recipe for that as well! My kids love Apple Cinnamon Nutrigrain Bars.  Recently, I have been searching for a homemade substitute to those bars that isn't super labor-intensive and that doesn't involve a ton of butter.  Also, I wanted one that wasn't too crumbly.  By combining two recipes, I think I have come up with just the ticket!  When my kids each had one for snack, they scarfed them down and requested seconds! Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars Filling:  (From Loving life, one meal at a time ) 2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced 1 tablespoon of butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon...

I found this recipe on Six Sisters' Stuff.  I love their blog!  I have probably made at least two dozen of their recipes, if not more.  Not to mention the massive amount of ideas/recipes from them that I have on my Pinterest Boards!  I love this recipe because you don't have to run the mixer--it just stirs up easily.  (aka, we can whip these out during nap time without making too much noise!)  Plus they are just so fun!  You could easily add seasonal sprinkles to fit any holiday you could imagine.  Anna, my five year old, was pretty excited to show Daddy the cookies that she made "all by herself"! Here's the recipe (modified slightly from here .) Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies 1 box, 18.25 ounces, Funfetti Cake Mix 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs 1/2 cup canola oil 1 cup white chocolate chips (chocolate chips are also delicious in these!) 1/2 cup sprinkles Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cake mix in large bowl.  S...

I was discussing cookie recipes recently with a friend, and she mentioned that Chip & Putter Cookies were one of her family's favorites.  I, of course, requested the recipe.  I mean, what a great name!  So she graciously shared the recipe for these delicious peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. "Chip & Putter" Cookies (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies) 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 12 ounce dark chocolate chips (or any flavor chocolate chips that you like!) Stir flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.  Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Blend in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover and refrigerate dough for at least three hours or overnight.  Shape into large balls (around two tablespoons) and place...

Who doesn't love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate?  I came up with this recipe by combining my recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars and this one found here . Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars For the Cookie Dough: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 1/2 cups flour 1/3 cup cocoa 1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips 1 cup Nestle Dark Chocolate Chips For the Cheesecake: 2 package cream cheese (8 oz.) 1 cup sugar 2 egg 1/2 cups peanut butter For the topping: 1/4 cup Reese's peanut butter chips 1/4 cup chocolate chips 1 teaspoon shortening In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and cream again. Sift together the baking soda, flour, and cocoa. Slowly add to the butter mixture until incorporated. St...

I had to publish this picture because, well, I don't make cookies often. And, when I make cookies, I usually don't make ones that have several steps to prepare. Well, for Christmas this year, I did! I think these are one of the prettiest cookies that I have ever made. They were delicious, too! My brother thought they reminded him of a Girl Scout Samoa cookie minus the coconut. I think these cookies would perfectly grace a Christmas cookie plate. They would also be a great addition to a baby or bridal shower. What I love about these cookies: 1. They're yummy! 2. They're pretty! 3. Though it recipe had several steps, they were not that hard to do. 4. It made a small batch, so it did not take that long. I did not need that many for my family Christmas gathering. You may need to double or triple this recipe if you need lots of cookies! Here's the recipe from The Kitchen is My Playground (I love the name of this blog!) Cookie: 1 c. all-pu...

This weekend we celebrated Christmas with my side of the family. When I was growing up, my mom and Grandma had a tradition of making cookie plates for family, friends, neighbors, and, well, a lot of people. Apparently, at 19 years of age, Grandma began taking cookie plates as Christmas gifts to the neighbors when she and Grandpa moved out the family farm. Over the years, making cookie plates snowballed into this large task of preparing over forty different cookies and candies and delivering seventy (yes, seventy!) cookie plates every Christmas. I can remember helping mix up and bake a quadruple batch of two different kinds of cookies in one day. Mom and Grandma had the preparation down to a science. We would begin baking the day after Thanksgiving with peppernuts--a tiny, spicy German cookie whose flavor actually improves with age. Then we would go down the list of cookies that we could freeze and store. One of the last things we would make were the frosted sugar cookies. ...

Today, my kids (and several cousins) were invited over to Aunt Rita's to paint pumpkins.  I'll admit, there are not many days when we get paint out at our house, so my kids were giddy with delight just thinking about it.  I was excited that someone else wanted to take the responsibility for providing paint, pumpkins, etc.  So, I volunteered to make snacks (definitely more up my alley)! I wanted something fun, easy, and kid-yummy.  I have been seeing lots of s'mores recipes on pinterest, so I decided to pull out one of my favorite s'mores variations.  We made these for a camp-themed Vacation Bible School one year, and the recipe has been happily ensconsed in my recipe box since then.  Luckily my kids love to run my mini food processor, so coming up with the graham cracker crumbs is easy for me! S'mores Bars 3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted 4 cups mini marshmallows 2 cups chocolate chips Preheat oven to...

I love desserts that you can throw together quickly but that still taste yummy.  These blondies do the trick.  My daughter, Anna, loves to help me make them.  I suppose it's because she gets to have some of the leftover chocolate chips when we are done mixing them up. I found the original recipe here on Betty Crocker's website and modified it slightly. Cake Mix Blondies 1 box yellow cake mix 2 eggs 2 Tablespoons water 1/3 Cup butter, melted 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark pan.)  Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Stir together cake mix, eggs, water, and butter.  Add chocolate chips and stir to combine; spread into prepared pan.  Bake 21 to 26 minutes or until golden brown.

The recipe for these delicious bars came from a dear neighbor lady named Barb.  Growing up, Barb attended almost all of our sports games and activities.  She always had a kind word for everyone.  Whenever I make this recipe, I think of her.  So, here it is: Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars 1 16.5 ounce package chocolate chip cookie dough 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened (full fat or reduced fat work equally well) 1 egg 3/8 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Grease an 8 by 8 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Pat a little over half of the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan.  Mix remaining ingredients until smooth.  Pour over the top of the dough.  Break remaining dough into small pieces and sprinkle over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees 35 - 40 minutes or until browned and center is set.  (I had to bake mine about 5 minutes longer) Dough in the pan. When I mix the cheesecake ingredients, I like to use my im...

Okay, let's face it:  peanut butter and chocolate are a great combination!  I think both these ingredients are contained in most of the desserts I make.  So I wanted to share another family favorite of ours--Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheerio Bars.  I adapted this recipe from Matt's Aunt Emily's recipe for Rice Krispy Bars.  This was out of the Methodist Church cookbook.  It's rare that I try a church cookbook recipe that isn't a hit.  I mean, who's going to put a bad recipe in there?  Anyway, these yummy goodies would be great for school lunches, picnics, or upcoming track meets.  (Peanut butter contains protein, right?)  They are quick to make and use mostly pantry staples (for me, at least!)  Here's the recipe: Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheerio Bars 1 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter, divided 1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup sugar 6 cups Cheerios 1 cup chocolate chips Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spr...

Every time I make these cookies, I think of my dear friend Kristin, from whom I got the recipe.  We were classmates in dental school and spent many hours together sipping coffee and studying at Barnes and Noble.  We have many things in common, including a love for all things chocolate! She brought these moist and delicious cookies to a get together one time.  Of course, I had to have the recipe.  The recipe calls for instant pudding in the mix.  I first tasted this recipe containing vanilla instant pudding and chocolate chips.  You can use any variety of pudding/chip combinations, and, believe me, I have.  So far, chocolate pudding plus peanut butter chips has been the favorite for our family. The following is her recipe, with a few updates from me. . . Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies 2 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup brown ...